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Sons' sorrow


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Fantastic - I remember it well.

Rather than give a team line up and not in any order, I will simply list the best players I have seen in a Sons shirt:

Ian Wallace - one of the most naturally gifted players I have seen playing for Sons - he had this knack of making space for himself regardless of how many players were around him. He was also hated by the fans of every other club we played, which can't be bad. I think he was Britain's second £1million player after Trevor Francis (not from us of course, I think we sold him for about £30,000).

Johnny Graham - Mr Dumbarton, probably the best player I saw. He was fantastic and we even had a special song for him "who's the boy with the brown curly hair..." for those who can remember it.

Jumbo Muir - Effortlessly strolled through games and was majestic to watch.

Kenny Wilson - brilliant, brilliant player - who can ever forget the five he scored against Raith in that midweek game, I think in our promotion season.

Roy McCormack - side kick to Kenny and laid on so many of his goals.

Davie Wilson - it was odd watching Scottish legends playing for Dumbarton but very exciting as well.

Willie Wallace - for the same reason as Davie Wilson.

John Cushley - mighty and as hard as nails - Dumbarton's Norman Hunter (or was Norman Hunter Leeds' John Cushley?).

Charlie Gallagher - sublime and coasted through games - a real Celtic hero who was a real Dumbarton hero.

Lawrie Williams - the cat and probablythe best keeper we ever had. Another legend.

McAdam brothers - Colin (Hoof, tragically no longer with us) and Tom - both went on to play with opposite teams of the Old Firm and gave everything for Dumbarton.

Coyle brothers - much maligned (undeservedly) they played a key role for the club for many years.

Murdo McLeod - perhaps should have put the "McLeod brothers" but Alistair was not nearly as good as Murdo.

Kenny Ashwood - only played with us for a short period but what a period - he hit, I think the only purple patch in his career when he was with us - he scored something like 11 goals in 10 matches to start and had a spectacular first season. Never did it again but that season was very special.

John Bourke - played too long with Kilmarnock for my liking, where he is regarded as a legend but a great Sons player.

Graham Sinclair - honourable mention as he was only player I recall from my time supporting Dumbarton who was called up for international duty while with Sons - a number of U21 caps for Scotland.

Brian Gallagher - one of the fastest players I ever saw.

Graham Fyffe - signed from a small team called Rangers. He claimed that he married a Catholic and was forced out of the club - they said he had a long-standing knee injury. He signed for Hibs the year before us and he said he was perfectly fit. Superb player for two years with the Sons.

Whiteford brothers - Jocky and Derek, both played with distinction for the Sons.

Donald McNeill - nearly signed for Rangers but did his knee in that year and we got to keep him a little longer.

Mark Clougherty - A brilliant reader of the game - he was immense in the heart of the defence.

Hugh McLean - gifted and talented, he effortlessly floated through games.

Alistair (Ally) Brown - not the most gifted or talented but always gave 100% every match - high energy, high tempo, I think he would fit in well in today's team.

Chic Charnley - I think he only played for us for one season but while he was with us everything went through him - he ran games and was superly talented.

Tom Carson - great keeper, one of our best ever managers, very badly treated by the club in the end which was a real shame.

So many more than this as well and this is without catching up to date with the Dobbies, Flannerys, Kanes, etc.

Pretty much all of this! You could have been reading my mind.

I was a wee bit surprised at Brian Gallagher, until I surmised that you must be referring to Brian Gallagher Mark 2.

Glad to see Jumbo getting a mention, I always thought he was a bit of a talisman and remember fondly his towering header against Killie to take us into the Scottish Cup semi. I think he also scored a cracker at Shawfield. I would also add Ray Montgomerie, converted from a centre forward to one of our finest right backs. John Donnelly was a very talented midfielder with a tremendous engine and I seem to remember him having a purple patch at the beginning of 82/83 season when he was virtually unstoppable and scored an impressive amount of goals into the bargain. Honourable mention too, to Brian Heron who possibly had the hardest shot of any player I remember.

My dad, who was a harsh critic, also rated guys like Bobby Craig, Tim Whalen, Hughie Gallacher and Leslie Brown, but I missed out on seeing them by about seven or eight years.

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Fantastic - I remember it well.

Rather than give a team line up and not in any order, I will simply list the best players I have seen in a Sons shirt:

Ian Wallace - one of the most naturally gifted players I have seen playing for Sons - he had this knack of making space for himself regardless of how many players were around him. He was also hated by the fans of every other club we played, which can't be bad. I think he was Britain's second £1million player after Trevor Francis (not from us of course, I think we sold him for about £30,000).

Johnny Graham - Mr Dumbarton, probably the best player I saw. He was fantastic and we even had a special song for him "who's the boy with the brown curly hair..." for those who can remember it.

Jumbo Muir - Effortlessly strolled through games and was majestic to watch.

Kenny Wilson - brilliant, brilliant player - who can ever forget the five he scored against Raith in that midweek game, I think in our promotion season.

Roy McCormack - side kick to Kenny and laid on so many of his goals.

Davie Wilson - it was odd watching Scottish legends playing for Dumbarton but very exciting as well.

Willie Wallace - for the same reason as Davie Wilson.

John Cushley - mighty and as hard as nails - Dumbarton's Norman Hunter (or was Norman Hunter Leeds' John Cushley?).

Charlie Gallagher - sublime and coasted through games - a real Celtic hero who was a real Dumbarton hero.

Lawrie Williams - the cat and probablythe best keeper we ever had. Another legend.

McAdam brothers - Colin (Hoof, tragically no longer with us) and Tom - both went on to play with opposite teams of the Old Firm and gave everything for Dumbarton.

Coyle brothers - much maligned (undeservedly) they played a key role for the club for many years.

Murdo McLeod - perhaps should have put the "McLeod brothers" but Alistair was not nearly as good as Murdo.

Kenny Ashwood - only played with us for a short period but what a period - he hit, I think the only purple patch in his career when he was with us - he scored something like 11 goals in 10 matches to start and had a spectacular first season. Never did it again but that season was very special.

John Bourke - played too long with Kilmarnock for my liking, where he is regarded as a legend but a great Sons player.

Graham Sinclair - honourable mention as he was only player I recall from my time supporting Dumbarton who was called up for international duty while with Sons - a number of U21 caps for Scotland.

Brian Gallagher - one of the fastest players I ever saw.

Graham Fyffe - signed from a small team called Rangers. He claimed that he married a Catholic and was forced out of the club - they said he had a long-standing knee injury. He signed for Hibs the year before us and he said he was perfectly fit. Superb player for two years with the Sons.

Whiteford brothers - Jocky and Derek, both played with distinction for the Sons.

Donald McNeill - nearly signed for Rangers but did his knee in that year and we got to keep him a little longer.

Mark Clougherty - A brilliant reader of the game - he was immense in the heart of the defence.

Hugh McLean - gifted and talented, he effortlessly floated through games.

Alistair (Ally) Brown - not the most gifted or talented but always gave 100% every match - high energy, high tempo, I think he would fit in well in today's team.

Chic Charnley - I think he only played for us for one season but while he was with us everything went through him - he ran games and was superly talented.

Tom Carson - great keeper, one of our best ever managers, very badly treated by the club in the end which was a real shame.

So many more than this as well and this is without catching up to date with the Dobbies, Flannerys, Kanes, etc.

I have looked the list up and down and can't believe Graeme Sharp has been omitted. I think I'd have Donald McNeil in there too. Otherwise :thumsup2

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4-4-2

Williams

McGinn McNeil (Jumbo) Muir Brittan

Blair McLeod Graham Wilson (D)

Sharp Wallace

Subs from Wilson (K), Gallagher, McCormack, Bourke, Arthur, Gibson, John Boyd, Cushely, Ward, McAdam (T) Mongomerie, McIver, Mooney and many others

The diddies

Wigham

Kay Cairney Cairns Burns

Docherty Grainger Dickie Reid

Blackie McGivern

Subs - Please add your own........

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Calum Campbell was a huge disappointment... Think we spent a lot of money on him too (a lot for Dumbarton anyway)....in fact he was pish. Cannae remember who we bought him from.

Edited by stu20vt
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